Golden Slumbers
by ThoseWereTheDays
Summary: Conclusion to Shades Of Gray. The Empire has fallen and the new Republic is on the rise, but there are still enemies to fight and a war to end. Features most of the characters from the first part of the story and a few additional ones.
1. Prologue

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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PROLOGUE

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I thought these days were over…

He stood and watched the hundreds of clone soldiers that quickly and methodically piled into the battle ships on the massive landing platform. They were preparing for yet another battle.

_When will this fighting end? Will this war ever be over?_

Engines and thrusters roared to life as the ships were being boarded with the army of the Republic. He couldn't help but still feel a slight resentment towards the troopers…

_After everything that has happened, here I am helping the very soldiers that assisted in the slaughter of democracy and the Jedi Order._

He let out a heavy sigh while he watched the first battle ships rise from the platform.

_They were blindly following orders – just as they were programmed to – they aren't to blame…it was all Palpatine's fault. He gave the command to carry out Order 66. Then there was him…he had taken the name Darth Vader during his spree of crimes against humanity._

"General Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan turned at the sound of a clone soldiers distorted voice. "Yes, Captain?"

"We are ready for take-off, sir," the trooper replied.

"I'll be there in just a moment," Obi-Wan said as he returned his attention to the army before him. "We will be leaving as soon as I speak with Master Yoda."

"Yes, sir."

He watched the Captain rush back to his ship to join the rest of the clones.

_I thought the end of the Empire would mean the end of this blasted war. Why is there always someone bent on carnage and their hateful thirst for blood? Why must so many lust for power? At this rate, I am never going to find any peace. Even the Force itself is disrupted when I meditate these days and it only seems to be getting worse. Everything is always so complicated…_

Glancing back over his shoulder, Obi-Wan spotted the small figure of his Master approaching.

_There's Master Yoda…I guess that means it is time I take my leave._

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan greeted the older Jedi with a respectful nod once he reached him.

"Master Kenobi," Yoda did the same, leaning heavily on his walking stick.

Obi-Wan thought he seemed to look as if he had aged considerably over the past few months due to the constant stress he had been under.

It had been nearly two months since Anakin had given up his Empire and vanished from Coruscant, but they had little time to celebrate the restoration of the Republic before they were thrown back into the war that they all had hoped would be over by now. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Another threat was at their doorstep…General Grievous.

The leader of what remained of the Separatist army refused to surrender and continued to wage war with the rest of the galaxy.

"Careful, you must be," Yoda warned. "Dangerous, this assignment is."

Obi-Wan smiled down at him. "I will be fine, Master, don't worry."

Yoda silently regarded the Jedi Knight with a thoughtful expression before speaking again.

"May the Force be with you."

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	2. Ch 1: Arrivals

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 1

"**ARRIVALS"**

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Obi-Wan Kenobi calmly kept his eyes locked on the group of battle droids that charged down the long hallway towards him -- easily deflecting their blaster fire with his lightsaber. Leaping forward, he cut his attackers down with his blade once they were within striking distance and quickly checked both ends of the hall to make sure he had taken them all out.

"Scrap metal," he muttered to himself as he glanced down at their remains.

Without another word, he turned his attention to the ceiling just above him and called upon the Force to pull a panel from its place. He immediately deactivated his lightsaber and jumped up through the large opening the missing panel provided him, squeezing his oversized form into the cramped air ducts.

_Not as spacious as I would have hoped, _he thought. _With any luck I won't have to be up here for an extended period of time…_

He made his way through the narrow shaft – using his forearms to pull himself along – and reached his destination within a matter of mere minutes. Any longer and he felt as if he would not be able to move by the time he got out, but thankfully the search was short. Below him was the communications room he was looking for.

Climbing out of the air ducts, he dropped to the metallic floor and retrieved his lightsaber from his belt.

"Aah, General Kenobi."

Obi-Wan whipped around as he ignited his glowing blade. "Grievous…I wish I could say this was a pleasant surprise."

"Jedi scum," the General's bionic voice spat. "Soon you will join the rest of your kind!"

Grievous' own lightsabers sprang to life -- one in each of his robotic hands. He crouched low in a threatening position as Obi-Wan began to cautiously circle him.

_I should have known there would be complications,_ Obi-Wan told himself. _Since when does anything go as planned?_

"You have caused enough trouble, General," he said, sizing up his adversary.

Grievous let out a sinister cackle before going into a short coughing fit. "You will never escape alive, Jedi!"

"Is that so?" Obi-Wan retorted as he raised his eyebrow in mock curiosity. "You sound like you are in no condition to be fighting. Perhaps you should save us all the trouble and give up right now."

Grievous growled as he moved forward.

_Here we go… _Obi-Wan instinctively braced himself for the General's attack.

He parried the first swipes of Grievous' blades and effortlessly flipped out of harms way. His lightsaber came up in front of him to block the next assault, but Grievous attempted to stab him in the chest with his second weapon and nearly ran him through with the blade he had no doubt acquired from one of his several Jedi victims. Obi-Wan was caught off guard and barely managed to move out of the way in time.

"You're quicker than you look," Obi-Wan remarked with a slight grin, creating some distance between the two of them. "I'll be sure not to underestimate you again."

"Your luck has run out, General Kenobi!"

Obi-Wan let out an exasperated sigh when he spotted a group of more battle droids rushing into the room to join in the battle.

"This is just what I needed…"

* * *

"Senator Amidala?" 

Padme lifted her gaze from the datapad in front of her when she heard her newly appointed secretary speak up from the doorway of her office. "Yes?"

"Senator Organa is here to see you."

"Of course, send him in please," Padme replied.

She watched the young woman leave and began to clean off her cluttered desk. Work was piling up and she was falling behind. Bills, legislatives, proposals…rebuilding the Republic was proving a daunting task, but one that she knew was worth striving for.

"Busy?" Bail Organa questioned as he stepped into the room.

"When am I not?" Padme asked teasingly, greeting her friend with a weak smile. "Just don't tell me you have more work to give me."

"No, not today," he replied wryly. "How is your new secretary working out?"

"She's doing very well. Please, sit down."

Padme could detect some tension and foreboding coming from the other Senator and curiously watched him as he sat down in the chair that rested directly in front of her desk. He was clearly upset about something. _I don't know if I can take any more bad news,_ she thought to herself.

"Something is wrong," she stated, intently studying his face. "What is it? What's going on?"

Bail shifted uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat before speaking. "There has been…a mishap of sorts."

"What kind of mishap?" she pressed on.

"I don't know how to tell you this, Senator," he finally said after a short hesitation. "Master Kenobi never returned from his latest mission. He was due back nearly six hours ago, but we have yet to hear from him."

Padme felt nausea rise in the pit of her stomach. _Obi-Wan? This can't happen to him! He can't die after everything he has been through, after everything he has overcome! There are too few Jedi to lose another to this awful war -- is there no justice in the galaxy?_

"I'm sorry, Padme."

"He will be alright," was her blunt response. "Believe me, Obi-Wan Kenobi is not one to dismiss so easily. If anyone can get out of a tough situation, it is him."

* * *

Obi-Wan slowly lifted his head. 

_Where am I?_

The pain in his neck protested as he turned his attention to the nearby door and saw the glowing energy field that blocked his only escape route.

_Oh, yes…now I remember._

He was still aboard General Grievous' space station. He had failed to carry out his assignment and had apparently been taken as a prisoner. The last thing he remembered was being swarmed by droids.

He looked around the small room, thinking back on the last time he had been confined to a cell like the one he was in now…Darth Vader had interrogated him.

_I wonder where he is now?_ he pondered to himself. _Someplace better than this, I am sure._

* * *

For miles there was nothing but the golden sand of Tatooine. He could see nothing but the baron land of the endless desert stretching out over the horizon. 

Eventually, he spotted something off in the distance. It appeared to be some kind of a hut. He knew that the nearest town was at least an hours journey from this location and it was rather odd to find a place of residence out in the middle of nowhere -- isolated from the rest of civilization – unless you were a farmer or a Tusken Raider. He, however, knew that this was not the dwelling of any creature and there were no crops in sight, so he could only assume it wasn't a farmer either. That left only one obvious possibility…

This was where he would find him.

He was here. He knew he was.

This place was secluded. He was hiding from a past he could not get away from, but he continued to run from it nonetheless.

As he approached the hut he could feel his signature in the Force grow stronger. He was nearby.

_What are you doing here? I know you would never wish to step foot on this planet again – there are too many bad memories here,_ Qui-Gon Jinn thought. _Are you trying to punish yourself?_

He could make out the faint sound of metal scraping against metal as he rounded the corner of the small hut and a wide smile spread across his face when he saw the scene before him. An old speeder was propped up on a lift while a lone figure worked beneath it. He could hear him utter a few curse words to himself in Huttese as he used the Force to call a tool to his hand.

"I can see you are keeping busy," Qui-Gon commented.

He startled the figure and his smile broadened when it jumped and hit its head on the bottom of the speeder. More curse words followed as the figure slid out from under the vehicle and rubbed his head, looking around to find the intruder with a look of pure frustration. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Ani," Qui-Gon replied. "I have finally tracked you down."

Anakin Skywalker's eyes widened at the sight of his old Master. "Master Qui-Gon!"

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	3. Ch 2: Friend Or Foe

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Sorry for the delay. I've been a little busy lately and haven't been able to write as often as I would like, but I have a few chapters done already so they'll be up soon. I'll do my best to put a new one up every day -- or every other day at the most. I hope you enjoy the story and don't be afraid to tell me what you think...positive or negative feedback is always more than welcome and very inspiring.__

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 2

"**FRIEND OR FOE"**

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Padme Amidala silently sat behind the desk in her officer, trying to focus on the work in front of her, but not succeeding. She was distressed over many things; the Republic, the Jedi, Obi-Wan's disappearance…but above all else, Anakin.

The last time she saw him he had been trying to kill Obi-Wan. The next thing she knew, she woke up in a medical facility and had been told the Empire was no more. So many things didn't make sense to her. Obviously, she had missed quite a few occurrences in between the two events. She knew of Anakin's address to the Senate, but nothing beyond the vague explanation she had received from Bail Organa.

_Oh, Ani, where are you?_

She knew deep down in her heart that he had always been Anakin Skywalker and not the twisted Sith Lord, Darth Vader. She refused to believe he was gone -- she couldn't believe it.

He had committed unspeakable crimes while serving Palpatine, but he was still her Anakin.

No matter how hard she tried to put it out of her thoughts, the memory of her conversation with him shortly after his turn lingered in her mind…

"_The entire Order has been manipulating the Republic for generations," he had told her with that frightening yellow tint to his eyes. "Their reign has to end to ensure the future is free of greed and oppression."_

"_No! You are talking about killing thousands of people," she exclaimed, recoiling in fear and disbelief. "Palpatine has created an empire! How can there be balance under a dictatorship?"_

_He moved forward to touch her and she could see the pain she had caused him when she took a step back. _

"_You're afraid of me."_

"_I just want you to come back with me," she pleaded with him. "We can leave everything behind! I just want to be with you – nothing else matters…"_

"_I have to – "_

_She quickly moved forward and took his hand in both of hers, hoping to find some sign of her husband in the enraged stranger standing before her. "You don't have to do anything, Ani. You can't justify killing thousands of people."_

_"You sound just like them," he growled, pulling his hand out of her grip. "Don't you turn against me too."_

Just when Padme had cried so many tears she thought she couldn't possibly shed anymore, she felt an all too familiar burning in her eyes and fresh tears began to run down her cheeks.

If only she could have talked to him more, tried to make him see…now it was too late for that. He had been consumed by the dark side and she had no clue where he was.

She wiped the tears from her face and tried to resume her work. She could use a distraction right now and desperately hoped it would suffice.

She needed to get her mind out of the past and back to the present, but it would not be easy. She could still see him and she knew he would not be forgotten any time soon…

* * *

He pulled his black cloak tighter around himself and peered up at the Jedi Temple from beneath its hood. Construction droids were busy rebuilding the tall structure and he couldn't help but smile at the thought of it being restored to its former glory. That smile quickly faded when he remembered he was the one responsible for the destruction of the establishment in the first place and he briskly continued on his way. 

Coruscant.

It was as busy and full of life as ever. Not that he expected it to be any different in two months time, but his days away from the city felt more like an eternity to him.

_What am I doing here? Am I really this stupid? _he asked himself. _It's foolish to think they will even listen to me after everything I have done._

He reluctantly approached the building he had been seeking out. He was finally where he needed to be, but his legs would not allow him to move from where he stood for fear of what awaited him on the other side of the massive doors.

_I am many things, but a coward is not one of them, _he thought.

Taking a shaky breath, Anakin Skywalker made his way into the large building. He stepped into a nearby lift once he was inside and pressed the button that would take him to the floor he knew they were on.

_This is it…prepare yourself for the worst._

The doors to the lift slid open a minute later and he slowly walked out, glancing around to take in his surroundings. Luckily, there wasn't another person in sight. He proceeded to walk down the long hallway towards the office he needed to find as several thoughts ran through his head.

_What if they won't listen? What if they attack me? I can't kill them…but I can't just let them kill me either._

He felt an overwhelming wave of anger and hatred wash over him and clenched his fists at his sides. _If they do attack me, I will kill them! They will regret the day they ever crossed me…_

He immediately stopped dead in his tracks. Unclenching his fists, he closed his eyes and attempted to calm his emotions.

The dark side coursed through his body.

After a moment of deep concentration he felt his rages somewhat dissipate, but he knew he was still dangerously close to losing control.

_Maybe they are right to fear me._

The inner turmoil he was battling with was suddenly interrupted when he heard a door open further down the hall. His eyes darted over to the two figures that emerged from the room just ahead of him and he instantly recognized them.

"Thank you, Master Yoda, I will let them know," Bail Organa said to the small Jedi Master he walked beside.

Yoda's only response was a respectful nod of his head and the two of them parted ways. Anakin's chest tightened when his old mentor started in his direction, the sound of his walking stick tapping against the hard floor.

He wanted to do nothing more than turn and run away – to flee while he still could -- but amazingly he somehow managed to remain where he was.

Yoda glanced up at him as he drew closer and stopped, silently regarding him with a puzzled expression for a long moment before speaking. "In need of something, are you?"

Anakin slowly knelt down in front of his former Master, his identity still concealed under his dark hood.

"It's me, Master," Anakin answered, pulling it down and revealing himself for the first time.

It hurt him deeply to see the look of shock and distrust on Yoda's withered face, but he refused to look away.

"Lord Vader," he gasped.

His words pierced Anakin even deeper and he painstakingly diverted his eyes in shame at the use of the Sith title. "I'm sorry, Master…for everything."

"A surprising turn of events, this is," Yoda replied. "Much harm, you have done, young Skywalker."

"I know, Master."

"Come back, for what reason, have you?"

It took all of Anakin's inner strength to return his gaze to the Jedi. "Master Qui-Gon contacted me."

Yoda didn't speak, but his curious expression silently urged his padawan to continue with his explanation.

"He told me…" Anakin trailed off. "He said Obi-Wan was in trouble. He told me he needed my help."

"Hoping for redemption, are you?"

"No, Master Yoda, I am beyond that…I only want to help if I can."

Yoda skeptically studied the young man. "A change of heart, you have had, hmm?"

"Please forgive me, Master," Anakin said as he once again downcast his eyes. "I was blinded by power. It was a mistake."

* * *

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood from his place on the floor when he heard the clanking of metal footsteps approaching his small cell. He crossed his arms over his chest and patiently waited for his visitor to arrive, an air of confidence surrounding him. He had a feeling he would probably be subjected to various types of torture during his imprisonment in this place and he had a good idea of who would be his interrogator…he would not get the satisfaction of seeing him in a weakened state. 

"Splendid," he scowled as the broad form of the Separatist leader appeared behind the energy field that blocked his passage to the rest of the ship. "And just what do you want?"

"Greetings and salutations, General Kenobi," Grievous arrogantly replied, ignoring his question. "I trust your stay has been comfortable?"

"Would you care if it wasn't?" Obi-Wan asked.

General Grievous chuckled as he took a step closer to the glowing energy field. "You have failed, Jedi. Soon the Republic will fall by my hand and you will be nothing more than a distant memory."

"Well, you certainly think highly of yourself," Obi-Wan mocked as he stared at the bionic tyrant with disdain. "What makes you so sure the Republic will crumble? The Empire is gone, General, you are all that is left of our old enemies. You can't possibly hope to take over the entire galaxy on your own…"

"There is much you don't know yet," Grievous spat in disgust. "It is only a matter of time."

"Perhaps you would care to enlighten me."

Grievous glared at the Jedi Knight for one last moment before turning to leave. "All in due time, General Kenobi…all in due time."

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	4. Ch 3: Calm Before The Storm

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 3

"**CALM BEFORE THE STORM"**

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Senator Organa walked down the hallway towards Yoda's quarters. He thought it quite peculiar that he had been summoned back by the old Jedi Master only minutes after the last conversation they had shared. From what he had gathered from the call, he guessed it was a matter of some importance and urgency. He quickened his pace as he rounded the corner and caught sight of the doors to the room in which his arrival was being anticipated.

After a courteous knock he pushed the doors open and stepped inside. "You wanted to see me, Master – "

He immediately fell silent when he spotted a familiar Jedi turned Sith Lord sitting in a nearby chair.

"Vader!"

An expression of displeasure covered Anakin Skywalker's face, but it vanished just as quickly as it had come. "Senator."

"Take a seat, Senator Organa," Yoda said as he gestured for him to sit in the empty chair beside him. "Much, we have to talk about."

"What's going on here, Master Yoda?" Bail asked, skeptically glancing back over at the former Emperor.

"Come to help Obi-Wan, young Skywalker has," Yoda answered. "Please, sit…"

The Senator warily stared across the room at Darth Vader – traitor to the Republic and the Jedi -- as he moved to sit in the vacant chair. "I was not expecting to hear from you again so soon, but I can see that you had good reason for calling me."

Yoda nodded his head in agreement and turned his attention back to Anakin.

"What is the meaning of this?" Bail questioned.

"He already told you," Anakin spoke up, glaring at the other man. "I'm here to find Obi-Wan."

"So now you want to save your Master?" Bail sarcastically replied. "Last I heard you were trying to kill Master Kenobi, along with the rest of the Jedi Order. Not to mention the Republic."

"Not here to condemn Skywalker, are we," Yoda interjected, deep sorrow evident in his features. "A change, I have felt in him."

"You can't expect us to simply forgive him after all he has done," Bail protested. "He almost put an end to democracy with his Empire! Countless Jedi have been lost!"

Yoda firmly continued to press his point. "Trying times, these are, for all of us. The word of Master Qui-Gon, we will trust."

"Qui-Gon?" Bail raised a puzzled eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Master Jinn has been dead for years."

"Wrong, you are," Yoda corrected him. "One with the Force, he has become. Maintain contact, he still does."

Senator Organa was obviously shocked by this new revelation. "What? How can that be?"

"He came to see me. He told me you needed my help," Anakin began to explain. He was clearly not fond of the politician, but he managed to suppress his aggravation – keeping his expression neutral. "Trust me, Senator, I don't expect or want your forgiveness. You have my word that once I have done what I came to do I will be on my way."

"And just how do you plan to save Master Kenobi?"

"I'm going to infiltrate General Grievous' ship and rescue him," was Anakin's simple response.

"You think you can just waltz into his fortress and break Obi-Wan out?" Bail questioned in disbelief. "That is absurd! The only thing you'll accomplish is getting yourself killed."

"And you would miss me?" Anakin asked mockingly as he rose from his chair. "The rest of you can sit around and do nothing, but I'm not going to wait…I'm going with or without your assistance."

Sith and Senator glared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Bail sighed in frustration and stood from his seat as well.

"Fine. I won't guarantee anything, but I'll see what I can do. If I can supply pilots, Lord Vader, you had better go through with it. The only reason I am even considering this is because Master Kenobi's life is at stake."

He spared Yoda one last glance before brushing past him and exiting the room.

"How long will he take to get everything organized?" Anakin growled, furiously glaring at the door as it shut.

Yoda thoughtfully studied his angry face. "Much rage, I sense in you."

Anakin's feelings of hatred for the Senator immediately faded away at the older Jedi's words.

"I'm sorry, Master, I am trying," Anakin said, suddenly ashamed of his spiteful thoughts. "I'm doing my best to keep my emotions in check. I can control them…"

An uncertain and disapproving grunt was the only response he got from his Master.

* * *

It was pure chaos. Clone troopers and Jedi fought relentlessly, blaster fire and explosions tearing the room apart. Then she spotted him among the carnage unfolding before her eyes…Anakin. Or was it Darth Vader now? 

She watched in stunned silence as what appeared to be electricity shot from his hand and clashed with Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

"Anakin!"

Her frantic call seemed to have caught his attention. His confused eyes searched the area until they finally settled on her. He seemed to be contemplating what to do for what seemed like hours.

She watched as his face abruptly turned cold and emotionless…she could see him, but she no longer knew who he was.

Turning his attention back to a desperate Obi-Wan, his expression turned to one of pure, unbridled hatred…

**_Padme_** jolted upright in her chair when she heard the door to her office open.

"Oh, Senator Amidala, I'm sorry."

"No, that's alright," Padme assured her secretary, doing her best to stifle a yawn and failing miserably. "I was just resting my eyes."

_Like she's going to believe that,_ she thought.

Apparently, she had fallen asleep while she had been working. It wasn't entirely surprising – she had been getting very little sleep lately and it was clearly beginning to take its toll on her. Not only was stabilizing the new Republic a job of its own, but she had plenty of other pressures and worries weighing on her shoulders.

Noticing that her secretary was very uncomfortable, Padme smiled warmly at her and pushed her troubles out of her mind. _They can wait,_ she told herself. _I haven't been giving my job as Senator my full attention. I have a responsibility – I can't let anybody down._

"Did you need something?" Padme asked, hoping to put the girl at ease.

"Yes, milady," she replied. "I was told to inform you that a rescue effort is being sent out after Master Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Thank the stars," Padme said as a sigh of relief escaped her lips. "I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for letting me know."

"Of course, Senator."

Padme leaned back in her chair and a faint smile of satisfaction crept onto her face. "I am glad they finally saw fit to do something about his situation. Do you know who is leading the mission?"

"Believe it or not, Senator, they say Lord Vader is heading the team."

"Vader!" Padme exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her seat. "What do you mean Vader is heading the team?"

Her secretary was obviously startled by her sudden change of mood and stuttered as she answered. "Th-they said he returned to Coruscant earlier this evening. He is expected to depart any time now with a fleet of starfighters."

Wasting no time, Padme dashed out of her office – leaving her dumbfounded secretary alone -- and started for the hangar she knew the mission would be launched from.

_Can he really be here?_ she asked herself, praying and hoping it could be true. _Can Ani really be here?_

* * *

When Padme reached the hangar there was very little activity. It in no way appeared as if a rescue team was preparing to move out. She called out to a nearby clone soldier and rushed over to him as he turned around to face her. 

"Where are the men being sent after Obi-Wan Kenobi?" she asked, trying to catch her breath. The jog from her office left her slightly winded and she was now panting from the trip.

"You just missed them," the trooper replied. "They are inbound to their destination."

"Was Lord Vader with them?" she hesitantly questioned. She wasn't completely sure if she actually wanted to know the answer.

"Negative."

She raised a puzzled eyebrow at the trooper. "Then who is leading the mission?"

"General Skywalker was put in charge for the time being."

Padme's eyes widened and her heart began to pound at the mention of his name. Anakin really was back…

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	5. Ch 4: Two Jedi & A General

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 4

"**TWO JEDI AND A GENERAL"**

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The cold emptiness of space engulfed him as he flew his starfighter through the never-ending cascade of black and blue. There was nothing other than darkness accompanied by the illuminating glow of stars and nearby planets. He marveled at the beauty of it and a slight grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. It had been far too long since he had genuinely smiled.

It only lasted a brief moment.

His thoughts soon turned to the task at hand. He would be facing Obi-Wan Kenobi soon and he was not looking forward to it. Seeing Master Yoda again had been bad enough, but he had been attached to Obi-Wan much more than the elder Jedi Master. After all he had done, he could only hope his former mentor wouldn't try to strike him down while he was trying to rescue him…

Then there was Padme. No matter where his mind might wander, it always returned to her. Those brown eyes, her soft hair, her smile, the way she whispered his name…but as much as it warmed his heart, it tore it apart a thousand times more knowing that he had ruined everything and lost the love of his beloved Angel. He had no false hopes – he knew he had lost her.

He felt a great deal of sadness at the prospect of never seeing her again, never hearing that infectious laugh of hers that he couldn't help but laugh along with when he heard it…

That sadness quickly turned to anger. He felt it grow inside of him and consume his every thought until he knew nothing but rage and hatred. His grip on the fighter controls in front of him tightened as he squeezed his eyes closed in a desperate attempt to calm himself – struggling to restrain his overwhelming emotions.

"General Skywalker, we are approaching our target," he heard the voice of a clone pilot inform him. "ETA, three minutes."

Thankful for the sudden interruption of his thoughts, Anakin looked out of the cockpit of his fighter and focused on the many starfighters flying alongside him. "Get ready, Captain. Things are about to get very busy…"

"Yes, sir."

A minute later and he could make out the distant form of a ship. _This is it,_ he told himself. _Here we are. There's no turning back now…_

"I am detecting enemy fighters approaching on my radar, sir."

"You're going to be on your own, Captain," Anakin tensely replied. "I'm going for the ship. Just keep them busy and I'll get Jedi Kenobi."

"Yes, sir."

They continued in silence until they spotted enemy fighters soaring towards them.

"Let's get this show on the road," Anakin said as he opened fire, engaging them and immediately blowing one of the fighters to space debris.

The enemy immediately returned fire and Anakin swooped in a perfectly executed roundabout, easily dodging the shots meant for him. Steadying his starfighter, he managed to fire on another enemy fighter and took it out of the fight.

"That's it for me, Captain. Good luck."

Without so much as another word, Anakin tactfully began performing evasive maneuvers and sped towards the ship in which he knew Obi-Wan was being held captive.

"Persistent, aren't you?" he muttered to himself in aggravation, glancing back over his shoulder at an enemy fighter that had managed to break away from the others and tail him.

He instinctively darted from side to side while the fighter fired upon him, skillfully avoiding the shots. Then, taking his starfighter into a downward spiral, he took it by surprise and flew up and around to resume his course – only this time taking position behind his pursuer. The enemy fighter erupted in a ball of fire and Anakin proceeded to move in on the ship that was now just ahead of him.

Blaster canons opened fire as he grew closer, but he easily dodged them and swooped down towards a large energy field that he could see led into the ships docking bay. Firing on the generators beside the blocked passage, the glowing energy field flickered before disappearing completely. He smirked to himself when he sped into the ship – the back-up generators rebuilding the energy field just as he passed through it – and roughly set his fighter down.

Sparks flew up from the metallic ground as it slid across the floor of the massive hangar, battle droids immediately racing towards him and opening fire. Ejecting himself from his starfighter, Anakin ignited his lightsaber while he flipped through the air.

The fighter took out several droids as it passed through them and he began striking down what remained of them with his glowing blade the moment his feet touched the ground.

He deactivated his lightsaber once they were all disposed of and turned his attention to a set of doors. "Where are you, Obi-Wan?"

Rushing towards them, he securely grasped the hilt of his lightsaber and readied himself before pressing the open button on the keypad on the wall. Fortunately, there were no more droids waiting for him on the other side. Wasting no time, he hurriedly made his way down the long hallway to find his old Master...

* * *

Bail Organa spun around when he heard the door to his office open rather forcefully. He was startled to see Padme storm into the room, glaring at him as she approached. 

"Senator Amidala – what a wonderful surprise," he greeted her with a friendly smile, but it quickly faded when she didn't return it. "Is something the matter, Senator?"

"Why was I not told about Lord Vader sooner?" she asked, clearly infuriated with her fellow politician. "What's going on?"

Bail sighed in exasperation and clasped his hands behind his back, diverting his gaze from hers as he spoke. "Vader only met with us briefly. I didn't want to tell you at all, but Master Yoda insisted you not be kept in the dark. I thought you – "

"You had no right to hide this from me!" she cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

"Padme, you must understand why I thought it would be best that you didn't know," he attempted to reason with her. "His motives for returning to Coruscant are still questionable. He may have a hidden agenda that we are unaware of…I just didn't want you to get your hopes up. It was for your own sake."

"I can look out for myself, Senator Organa," she angrily replied. "I don't need your protection."

"I never meant to upset you," Bail said as he let out another heavy sigh. "You must realize…Darth Vader is not the man you married. Personally, I think Master Yoda is making a grave mistake in trusting him."

"If you mistrust him so much, why did you let him lead this mission?"

"I allowed him to go strictly for the purpose of bringing Master Kenobi back – I will not let him die in the hands of the Separatists," Bail turned away from Padme and watched the traffic of Coruscant pass by from the window of his office. "Granting him the opportunity to save Obi-Wan is the only thing I will ever do for him. Yoda is far more forgiving than me."

Even with his back to her, Bail could feel the other Senator's eyes on him. A long moment of silence ensued between them before he heard her turn to leave, the door slamming behind her.

Yet another sigh escaped his lips.

* * *

Obi-Wan watched in utter confusion and disbelief as the figure effortlessly sliced through the battle droids posted outside his holding cell. 

_How can this be possible? _he asked himself._ Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined…_

He watched the Sith Lord swiftly deflect blaster fire and cut down the few droids that were left standing, but he wasn't even focused on the fight…his eyes watched the lightsaber the figure held in his hands. The blade was no longer the deathly red it had been before, but was now replaced by a blue glow that seemed to shimmer in the dimly lit detention block.

Droid parts fell to the ground and the weapon was instantly deactivated as the figure approached his cell.

"Anakin?" was all Obi-Wan managed to get out.

"It's me, Master," Anakin replied, using the locking mechanism beside the door to shut down the energy field. The humming of the field immediately ceased and it vanished. "There's no time to explain. Come on, we have to get out of here."

Obi-Wan was baffled.

He caught the second lightsaber Anakin pulled from his robes and tossed to him, watching his padawan survey the area to make sure it was clear before starting back down the hallway in the direction from which he had arrived. "Follow me."

"Anakin, wait!" Obi-Wan called out after him.

His apprentice stopped where he was and reluctantly turned around to face him. Obi-Wan noticed the natural blue hue to his eyes -- they were no longer that sickly yellow he had grown so accustomed to.

"Anakin, what's going on?" he asked, staring at the former Emperor with less than subtle curiosity. "What is happening?"

"Jedi scum!"

Both Anakin and Obi-Wan whipped around when they heard the menacing voice shout at them. Obi-Wan instinctively igniting the lightsaber he now had in his possession and braced himself for an attack.

They cautiously watched Grievous walk into the room, glaring at them with a mixture of annoyance and disgust. "You have met your end, General Kenobi."

The two Jedi Knight's watched in stunned silence as his two arms separated and became four – each of them gripping the hilt of a lightsaber. All four blades burst to life and he crouched low in a threatening position.

"Who's this?" Anakin questioned, fully prepared to defend himself.

"Anakin Skywalker, I'd like you to meet the infamous General Grievous," Obi-Wan replied coldly.

Grievous took a step towards them to strike. "You are no match for me, Jedi."

"I think you will find he is extremely fond of his own voice," Obi-Wan remarked. "It is not a very flattering trait."

"Enough talking," Grievous spat as he lunged forward.

Anakin and Obi-Wan blocked his first assault and momentarily held off his advances, but he pressed on and continued to barrage them with blow after blow. They were forced back until they were almost pinned against the wall.

"Duck!" Obi-Wan exclaimed.

They dove to the ground as four glowing blades simultaneously slashed through the wall where they had been standing. Rolling to their feet, they stood at either side of him and awaited his next move, both of them in defensive stances.

Anakin grimaced. "This should be interesting…"

* * *


	6. Ch 5: Sith Or Savior

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 5

"**SITH OR SAVIOR"**

* * *

Obi-Wan still couldn't believe what he was seeing. Beside him was Darth Vader, dark lord and former Emperor of the galaxy, wielding the blue lightsaber of a Jedi Knight and helping him fend off the onslaught of blows coming from a multi-limbed General Grievous. It was a surreal situation to say the least.

He thought his apprentice had been lost long ago – devoured by the raw power of the dark side – but there he stood, acting more like his old padawan than a vicious Sith.

"We can't keep this up forever," Obi-Wan called out to him as he dodged another swipe from an infuriated Grievous.

"We won't have to," Anakin retorted, deflecting another blow with his lightsaber.

Calling upon the Force, he attempted to shove Grievous away from them. He silently cursed to himself when the cybernetic General resisted the shove and was only pushed back a step, quickly resuming his assault.

"Your tricks won't work on me, Jedi!"

Anakin flipped back through the air – moving out of the path of one of the lethal blades meant to slice through his torso – and landed in a graceful crouch.

Obi-Wan jumped back as well, narrowly avoiding the next strike. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy, Anakin."

"You are hopelessly outnumbered," Grievous sneered. "There is no hope of escape…you will not survive this time. You are mine!"

Without another word, he leapt forward and thrust his four arms out in front of him, trying to impale the two Jedi. They both dove aside and rolled to their feet without the weapons making contact.

Obi-Wan anticipated his following attack and managed to catch him by surprise, swinging up towards his nearest arm and severing it just above the elbow. Grievous howled in anger and slammed a closed fist into Obi-Wan's gut, hitting him with the hilt of the lightsaber in his hand and knocking the wind out of him on impact.

Anakin watched in shock as Obi-Wan collided with the wall directly behind him. "Master, are you alright!"

"I'm fine," Obi-Wan gasped for air, struggling to pull himself up from the ground. "I should consider myself lucky he didn't get me with the other end…"

Anakin glared at the now three-armed Separatist leader standing before him and eagerly awaited his next move, tightly gripping his lightsaber.

He didn't have to wait long.

The General swung again, his glowing blades moving in a blur as they flew mere inches above Anakin's head. He could feel the heat radiating off of them and could detect the smell of burnt hair in the air a moment later…apparently he had been grazed by the swipe.

_That was a little too close for comfort,_ he told himself.

Lightsabers once again clashed as he steadily began to take the offensive. The sudden change in his movements startled Grievous and he was able to force him back several steps, abruptly turning the direction of the battle in his favor. Then, with a swift slice of his blade, two hands were separated from the wrists of his opponent in the blink of an eye.

Two hands and two lightsabers clattered to the ground while he used the Force to knock Grievous off balance.

A crude smile formed on his lips as he watched the fallen General stare up at him in stunned silence. "Not so high and mighty anymore, are you?"

Without another word, he raised his lightsaber above his head and prepared to bring it down.

"Anakin, stop!" Obi-Wan cried, shakily climbing to his feet. "Don't do it!"

Lowering his arms, Anakin glanced back over his shoulder. "Why not? He doesn't deserve to live!"

Obi-Wan felt a chill run down his spine when he saw his eyes…the same disturbing yellow from before seemed to be growing in them, taking over their usual blue. The dark side still had a hold on him.

"You can't kill him," Obi-Wan calmly replied, intently studying his face. He hesitated before speaking again – knowing that what he was going to say next might trigger something in his old padawan. Whether it would provoke a positive or a negative reaction, he wasn't sure.

"Jedi do not kill in cold blood."

Anakin's hardened expression didn't waver in the least bit. "Incase you don't remember, Master…I broke my ties with the Jedi long ago."

Watching as Anakin turned his attention back to Grievous, Obi-Wan noticed something he had never seen in the merciless General before.

Fear.

Anakin stood over his defeated adversary and proceeded to get in position to finish him off with one final blow from his lightsaber, but the doors to the room slid open before he could carry out his execution. All three of them looked over as several droidekas rolled through them.

"Destroyers!" Obi-Wan exclaimed.

Grievous took the opportunity to roll away to safety while Anakin was momentarily distracted. Back on his feet, he barked his orders. "Eliminate the Jedi!"

"I think we have overstayed our welcome," Obi-Wan stated, watching the approaching droids with obvious concern. "Perhaps it is time to go."

Anakin glanced back over in Grievous' direction – only catching a glimpse of his retreating form as he disappeared down a corridor at the opposite end of the room, hacking and coughing. He turned back to Obi-Wan when he felt his hand clasp his shoulder. "Forget about him, Anakin. Come on."

Casting his gaze towards Grievous one last time, he reluctantly took off at a full sprint after Obi-Wan. They reached a set of doors while the destroyers continued to pursue them.

"Quickly!" Obi-Wan shouted as he slammed his palm against the keypad on the wall.

Anakin dove through the narrow passage and seconds later the doors were sealed behind him.

Obi-Wan held his injured side, leaning heavily against the cold metal of the wall as a sigh of relief escaped his lips. "That was a close call."

"You should have let me finish him off," Anakin angrily replied. "Now he got away!"

"We will discuss this later," Obi-Wan said, turning to walk away. "Right now we need to get out of here."

Anakin glared at him, but followed suit after a short hesitation. "Yes, Master."

* * *

Yoda's eyes shot open when the image filled his mind. He knew something was happening…something bad. 

Bail Organa curiously watched the Jedi Master from the seat beside him. "Master Yoda?"

Yoda silently regarded the Senator, seemingly snapped out of his daze at the sound of his voice.

"Master Yoda, what is it?" Bail questioned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Danger," was his worried response. "Much danger, I sense. In trouble, Obi-Wan and young Skywalker are."

Bail said nothing else, but thoughtfully considered Yoda's words. _Danger? Vader, if this is your doing…_

* * *

The group of battle droids whipped around when they heard the hiss of doors opening behind them. They had no time to react or defend themselves – the two Jedi charging forward and effortlessly cutting them down with great speed and accuracy. 

"Let us find our means of transportation," Obi-Wan remarked, deactivating his lightsaber and attaching it to his belt while he glanced around at the various ships in the large hangar. The wreckage of Anakin's starfighter was still present, but it was in no shape to fly. "Aah, this should work."

Making his way across the silver floor, he jumped up onto the wing of a two-seated fighter. "Get in, we have no time to waste."

"Take it," Anakin replied coldly as he spun on his heels. "I'll find my own ship."

"What?" Obi-Wan asked. "Don't be ridiculous, Anakin, we – "

"I'm not going back there."

Obi-Wan looked down at his apprentice from the wing he stood upon in absolute confusion. "What do you mean? Anakin, we have no time to argue about this."

"Then don't argue…"

Anakin jumped up onto the wing of another fighter and hopped into the cockpit. Flipping the switches on the console in front of him, its engines roared to life.

At a loss for words, Obi-Wan quietly stood and watched him until he suddenly spotted something out of the corner of his eye. They widened at the sight of droidekas rolling into the hangar. He was getting ready to shout out a warning, but it was too late. They were already in place – deflector shields activated – and taking aim…

* * *


	7. Ch 6: Return To Coruscant

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 6

"**RETURN TO CORUSCANT"**

* * *

Padme Amidala ran as fast as her legs would carry her. The former Queen of Naboo had immediately dropped what she had been doing when she heard news of Obi-Wan's successful rescue. She had tried to bury herself in her work while she impatiently anticipated the return of the team sent to retrieve him, but it did nothing to calm her nerves. Her mind refused to stop racing.

Adrenaline coursed through her body as she dashed into the hangar and began searching the crowd. If Obi-Wan was back, Anakin had to be back as well…her hands slightly trembled at the thought of the unavoidable confrontation she would soon have to face. She longed to see him again – the man she loved unconditionally and had vowed to spend the rest of her life with – but she also dreaded their reunion. She had no idea what to expect from him…

_Will he still be angry with me?_ she asked herself. _Surely if he has realized the error of his ways he will not hold it against me that I tried to convince him to stop…but what if he thinks I turned on him and refuses to talk to me? He may not trust me if he still thinks I betrayed him._

She did her best to clear her head as she resumed her search, but another question burned in her mind._ What if I don't even recognize him when I see him? The last time I looked into his eyes it was as if I was staring at a stranger._

Numerous starfighters and clone soldiers filled the massive hangar. She continued to scan the area for her husband or Obi-Wan, but found another Jedi Master standing amidst the troopers instead.

Yoda.

Pushing her way through the crowd, she hurriedly made her way over to him. "Master Yoda!"

The small Jedi glanced over in her direction and calmly watched her approach. Once she reached him he respectfully inclined his head and greeted her with a somber expression. "Senator Amidala."

"Master Yoda, what happened?" she asked, the urgency in her voice revealing her obvious concern. "Where are Anakin and Obi-Wan?"

Yoda sadly looked up into her worried face. "Safe, they are. Injured during their escape, Master Kenobi and young Skywalker were. Taken to the Healers for medical attention, they have been."

"What?" Padme felt her chest tighten and a restricting lump form in her throat. _Injured?_ Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she struggled to ask her next question.

"How…how bad?"

* * *

"Aah!" 

Obi-Wan slapped the Healers hand away from his midsection and shot her an annoyed look before proceeding to pull his tunic back on. "I do not take kindly to being poked and prodded like some kind of blasted specimen meant to be studied."

"You have always been a difficult patient, Master Kenobi," the Healer replied. "You have several cracked ribs that must be taken care of."

"This is not the first time I have been wounded in the line of duty," Obi-Wan retorted, getting up from his place on the diagnostic table he sat atop. "I assure you I will be fine. Now if you don't mind, I would very much like to check on Jedi Skywalker."

After a short hesitation, the Healer sighed in defeat and gestured towards the doors adjoined with the next room over. "Right this way."

"Thank you."

* * *

Padme held her hand up to her mouth and gasped when she saw the sight before her. Nothing could have prepared her for what she found when she stepped into the infirmary. Floating in a large bacta tank was an unconscious Anakin, stripped down to nearly nothing while he recovered from the injuries he had sustained during Obi-Wan's rescue. 

Her heart pounded as she slowly and shakily approached him. His chest and abdomen were slightly singed – burn marks and various abrasions running across his exposed torso – but thankfully they didn't appear to be too serious. As she neared his motionless body she could also make out two deep gashes between his shoulder blades, his flesh severely scorched around them. This, she knew, was why he had been confined to the tank.

"Oh, Ani…"

Taking a step closer, she pressed her hand against the warm glass in front of her and peered up at him through the liquid that surrounding his tall frame. She prayed he would wake up and she would be able to look into his loving blue eyes again, but they remained closed.

"Padme?"

Padme started at the sudden sound of the voice that came from behind her. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even realized Obi-Wan had entered the room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you," he quickly apologized. He had walked in without the Senator even noticing his presence and silently chided himself for not alerting her of his arrival sooner. "I'll give you a moment to yourself."

He turned to leave, but stopped when she called out after him.

"That's not necessary, Obi-Wan, you are not disturbing me. I'm glad to see you are well."

He returned his gaze to her and offered a weak smile. "Thank you, Senator."

"What happened?" she asked, turning back to the tank.

Obi-Wan didn't answer right away. _What am I going to tell her? That it is my fault he is in the state he is? He wouldn't be in this condition if he never came after me…I did this._

"He…it happened very fast," he finally replied. "We were attacked by destroyer droids when we were getting ready to leave. Both of our ships were damaged, but Anakin's was hit far worse than mine."

"Is he really back?" Padme tried to suppress her tears as she questioned him further. "Anakin, I mean. Is it really him?"

"I'm not sure," Obi-Wan said with sorrow evident in his features. "Anakin has denounced his place as a Sith, but…"

The word hurt Padme deeply.

Sith.

Darth Vader, dark lord of the Sith…the fact that Anakin had taken the title made her heart ache.

"But what?"

"Back on the space station…" Obi-Wan trailed off, clearly not wanting to continue with his explanation.

"Tell me, Obi-Wan, I have to know."

The Jedi Knight uncomfortably shifted where he stood, but reluctantly complied. "If Anakin is indeed back, he will need to completely rid himself of the dark side. I don't believe he has."

If it was possible, Padme's spirits sank even more. "You mean he could still be Vader?"

"I'm not saying that," Obi-Wan corrected her. "I'm only saying he could possibly revert to his…former self…if he doesn't gain control over his emotions and extinguish the darkness that still lives within him."

Obi-Wan put it as delicately as he could, but he could see the pain the statement had caused Padme and felt a great deal of sympathy for her. More tears freely streamed down her face as she gently rested her hand on the bacta tank once again. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Obi-Wan."

"There is nothing you can do, Padme. Only time will tell which path he will choose," Obi-Wan replied in a soothing tone. "It is something he must do on his own. The decision is his and his alone – nobody else can help him."

"You're wrong," was Padme's instant response, grim determination lacing her words. "I can help him. I know him better than anyone, Obi-Wan, and I know he can be saved."

The room fell silent as Senator and Jedi focused on the floating form of Anakin Skywalker…

* * *


	8. Ch 7: Reunion

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 7

"**REUNION"**

* * *

Suddenly, everything became clear to him…

Darkness was replaced by light.

Yellow turned back to its natural blue -- Skywalker still existed.

_What have I done to you? Please don't go, Padme,_ he silently pleaded. _I didn't mean to…forgive me. I can't lose you like this. You can't leave me like this!_

He was left in a daze as he felt the presence of Darth Vader fade away. The reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks…he had considered killing Padme. How could he have ever thought such a thing? How could he ever…

_It wasn't me -- it was Vader!_ _I would never do anything to harm her! _

He stared down at her as fresh tears burned in his eyes.

_No, I will not hide behind excuses. I know what I have done._

Turning to the door, he called out to a nearby clone trooper. "You! Deliver a message for me. Contact my delegates and instruct them to arrange an emergency meeting with the Senate. Do it now."

"Right away, sir."

**_Anakin_** awoke in a cold sweat. His eyes fluttered open, but quickly snapped back shut when a blinding pain shot through his temple.

_Bad idea,_ he told himself. _Where am I?_

Slowly cracking his eyes open a second time, he glanced around and found himself in somewhat familiar surroundings. From what he could see he was in some kind of an infirmary – one quite similar to the one he had taken Padme to after…

_Now is not the time to dwell on that. I need to find out what happened and where I am._

He groggily sat up from the bed he lay in and warily inspected the room.

_I must be back on Coruscant._

He noticed that the white walls of the cramped room he was in held a striking resemblance to the medical facilities he had been a resident of on more than one occasion during his time there. As far as he could tell, that was where he was.

Once his swimming head finally began to clear, memories of Obi-Wan and General Grievous flooded his mind.

_I suppose I must have escaped. And what of Obi-Wan – is he still alive?_

Then he remembered the last time he had seen his old Master. They had been in the hangar of Grievous' ship when they were attacked by a group of droidekas.

"Destroyers," he muttered to himself as he tossed the sheets to the bed aside and lowered his feet to the floor. The metallic ground was cold against his bare skin, but he ignored the shiver it sent through his body and hurriedly started for the nearest exit.

"You mustn't be up so soon, Knight Skywalker, you need your rest."

"Huh?" he whipped around just in time to spot a medical droid drift into the room.

"Your body requires more time to recover from its injuries," it ranted on, stopping mere inches in front of him. "They must be properly tended to if you wish to recuperate in a timely fashion."

"Don't worry, I'm a fast healer," he retorted with an aggravated expression. "Where are my robes?"

The droid hovered across the room to a small table and gestured towards a neatly folded tunic that had been set out on it. "You were not expected to regain consciousness for quite some time. However, these were left for you incase of an early awakening."

"Thanks."

Anakin ignored the droid as it continued to speak of various precautions and protocols he would be wise to follow -- staying in its position directly behind him while he hastily dressed himself.

"How long have I been here?" he interrupted the bantering droid, slipping into the last of the traditional Jedi robes that had been laid out. "What day is it?"

"You have been in our facilities for nearly two standard days now," it instantly responded. "You spent most of your stay isolated in a restoration chamber."

"You mean a bacta tank?" he questioned.

"Why, yes."

Moving away from the inseparable droid, he resumed his previous course and once again made his way towards the doors that led out of the room. Just as they slid open he stopped in the doorway, not bothering to turn around when he spoke. "And what of Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"Master Kenobi suffered only minor injuries that have already been treated," the droid answered. "He sustained several bruised and cracked ribs, but nothing life threatening."

Anakin remained where he was for a moment before stepping out into the hall.

"Knight Skywalker…"

"What?"

"May I ask where you are going?"

"Away from Coruscant," was his simple reply.

Without another word, he disappeared down the long hallway.

* * *

Padme Amidala strode down the hall, sipping from a mug of steaming tea while thoughts of her husband ran through her mind. She hoped the refreshment would give her the extra boost she desperately needed to stay awake. The Senator of Naboo had finally been coaxed into leaving his bedside to replenish herself – having not eaten much in the last several hours. She had to admit she did feel better physically, but emotionally she still felt drained. She knew that feeling would not dissipate anytime soon. 

Besides being deprived of food, she had not slept in what seemed like days and she found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. She quickly took another drink from the mug and continued on her way.

She was both anxious and reluctant to return to Anakin's room. She couldn't help but fear what or whom he would be when he did come to – Jedi or Sith, Anakin or Vader. A feeling of despair formed in the pit of her stomach as she thought of the latter. She knew it was possible that her Ani could be back, but Obi-Wan had informed her of his hostile behavior during their last encounter and she couldn't just ignore his warning…but that didn't stop her from praying that he had indeed returned to her.

When the doors to the infirmary slid open, Padme was greeted by the same medical droid that had previously been watching over her wounded husband.

"Miss Padme, welcome back."

She opened her mouth to speak, but something else caught her attention before she could reply. "Anakin!"

His bed was empty.

"Where is Knight Skywalker?" she frantically asked, eyes darting around the room and finding no trace of him.

"Jedi Knight Skywalker just left," the droid answered.

"Where did he go?"

"He didn't give any details, but he was very adamant about getting _'away from Coruscant'_, I believe were his exact words."

Padme's mug dropped to the ground, shattering and spilling hot tea on the silver floor.

"Oh dear," she could faintly hear the droid as she turned and raced down the narrow hallway towards the facilities hangar. She knew if he wanted to leave he would need transportation -- and if he was in fact wanting to depart quickly he would waste no time in acquiring whatever he desired. It only made sense he would commandeer something from the closest supply of ships.

She reached her destination within a matter of mere minutes. Quickly searching the seemingly unoccupied hangar, it only took her a moment to spot a lone figure walking towards a vacant starfighter. Her heart fluttered when she saw him…

"Anakin!" the shout escaped her lips before she could give it a second thought.

The figure instantly spun around to face the source of the call. A mixture of shock and disbelief covered his face once he saw her standing the short distance that separated them, watching him with an expression that matched his own. "Padme?"

The Senator felt an overwhelming sensation at the sight of his crystal blue eyes. Love, longing, understanding…but most of all; hope.

He appeared to be almost concerned for her. "Padme, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she retorted, miraculously keeping her voice from cracking when she spoke. "Were you just going to go? Just going to leave without saying anything?"

"What do you want me to say?" the bitterness in his tone stung her.

"Anything," she said as tears welled up in her chocolate eyes. She knew she would not be able to hold them back for long. "Ani, I want to talk to you. I won't let you give up so easily."

His hardened features visibly softened and he diverted his sorrowful orbs from her own compassionate gaze before speaking again. "It is too late for repentance, Padme…I have failed you. I have failed all of you."

"How can you say that?" she questioned, slowly moving across the hangar towards him. "You saved Obi-Wan! You gave up the Empire and restored peace to the Republic!"

Anakin took a step away from his wife as she approached, surprising her enough to stop her in her place. "Anakin, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Just stay back," he warned her.

"Why? Ani, I'm not afraid…"

"You should be," he said as he moved back another step. "You're not safe as long as I'm here."

"What do you mean? Let me help you, Anakin," Padme pleaded, silent tears now streaking down her cheeks. "You don't have to do this alone."

"You don't understand!" he exclaimed. "I was going to kill you! All of you! Just like I killed Master Windu!"

Padme shook her head in denial. "No. Obi-Wan told me himself – Palpatine killed Master Windu, not you."

"Is that what Qui-Gon told him?" Anakin asked in disgust. "That I am innocent? If I hadn't interfered, Palpatine would have been at Master Windu's mercy. I might not have taken his life with the blade of my lightsaber, but I did murder him."

"You can't – "

"Don't you see, Padme? I told myself I was doing everything for you -- anything I could do to stop my visions from coming true -- but in the end I was willing to let you die. I was even willing to do it myself! To end the life of the very person I was trying to protect just so I could hold onto my power!"

Padme's lips quivered and her hands trembled as she watched tears of pure pain fall from the eyes of the man she loved. "I let the dark side consume me…it still does."

"Then why did you give up the Empire?" she defiantly questioned, refusing to accept his logic and reasoning.

"For you," was his blunt response. "When I finally understood what I was doing…when I was actually going to hurt you…it wasn't until I saw you on the ground that I realized I might lose you. I could never forgive myself if something were to happen to you. I _won't_ let anything happen to you."

"Ani, I – "

"I have to go," he cut her off before she could finish, painstakingly tearing his attention away from her and turning to leave. "I'm sorry."

Padme moved to follow him -- barely managing to contain the sobs that threatened to escape her -- but a set of doors suddenly flew open and distracted her before she was able to reach him. She was stunned to see a group of enemy soldiers enter the hangar.

"Battle droids!"

* * *


	9. Ch 8: The Sky Is Falling

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related. _**

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CH. 8

"**THE SKY IS FALLING"**

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Obi-Wan Kenobi stood and stared up at the tall structure, hands clasped behind his back while he thoughtfully studied the rebuilt walls of the very place he had grown up in. He marveled in the fact that it would soon be up and running once again. Reconstruction had been underway for quite some time and it was almost a shining image of its former self.

A slight grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he continued to admire the massive Temple. _It won't be long now,_ he reassured himself. _It will be good to return home and the Order very much needs a proper place to function…our shelter is far from an ideal place to live. It will definitely be nice to be in a warmer and more familiar environment after all this time._

His face fell and his grin turned to a frown at the thought of the current location of the remaining Jedi. They were temporarily residents of Coruscant's upper class district, housed among politicians – and though he would never voice it aloud – many people that he viewed as nothing more than rich snobs that he had no desire whatsoever to socialize with. He would much rather be back in his home, but for the time being he would have to take it in stride and settle for whatever sanctuary was available to them.

_No, not long at all… _

Many Jedi were no longer on Coruscant, some commanding clone soldiers in the war while others merely took refuge on other planets -- giving the weakened Order the necessary time it needed to recover from its previous losses. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt when he thought about the others…they were out fighting and dying. Having sacrificed and lost a lot himself during the Clone Wars, he was no stranger to what his fellow Jedi were experiencing.

_I can only hope the Force will guide them and help bring all of them back alive,_ he thought.

Then his mind wandered to Anakin. Jedi Knight, Sith Lord, Emperor…husband. Apprentice to both him and Darth Sidious. The 'Chosen One'.

_Who are you now? _

A labored sigh escaped his lips as he thought of his old padawan.

_Oh, Anakin, how you've made such a mess of things._

Obi-Wan moved his attention from the towering building before him and slowly turned to leave. _I suppose I should be getting back to check on him…will he even be glad to see me or will he curse me like he did before?_

He had barely taken two steps when he heard frightened screams coming from just down the street. He suddenly felt an approaching threat through the Force and curiously watched as numerous civilians frantically ran in all directions, fear evident in their features.

"What in blazes is going on?"

Snatching his lightsaber off of his belt, he searched the terrorized patrons for the source of the disturbance and readied himself for an attack. The apparent danger presented itself a moment later and his glowing blade sprang to life.

"You must be joking," he muttered as he started towards the battle droids making their way down the streets of Coruscant. "This is a bold move, General."

* * *

"Ani, I – " 

"I have to go," he cut her off before she could finish, painstakingly tearing his gaze away from her and starting for the starfighter closest to him. "I'm sorry."

Tears burned in her eyes and ran down her wet face, but her resolve did not falter. He was her husband and she loved him – she wouldn't give up on him that easily.

Padme moved to follow his retreating form -- barely managing to contain the sobs that threatened to escape her -- but a set of doors suddenly flew open and she reflexively looked over to see who or what was coming through them. Her eyes widened and she gasped as a group of enemy soldiers marched into the hangar. In utter shock and disbelief, she watched them walk forward with a stunned expression and momentarily failed to find any words of warning.

Finally, she found her voice and shouted. "Battle droids!"

Anakin immediately spun around and spotted the droids entering the area, instinctively reaching for his lightsaber and finding himself empty handed.

Silently cursing to himself, he darted towards Padme and called out to her in a state of panic. "Padme, get down!"

The unprepared Senator glanced over just in time to see her husband dive towards her, pulling her to the ground and covering her petite frame with his own. Blaster fire rang in the air as the shots meant for her flew overhead.

"Come on!" Anakin exclaimed, pulling Padme after him and ducking behind several crates that no doubt contained ship parts.

He stayed in a crouching position and peered around the corner of one of them, a shot striking near his outstretched head. He narrowly avoided getting hit by the blast and was forced back behind the cover of the large objects that were the only things between them and the Separatist invaders.

"Anakin, are you alright?" Padme asked as she placed a concerned hand on his shoulder.

He felt a tremor run through his body when he felt her touch him – felt her rest her delicate hand on his broad shoulder -- and his eyes instantly locked on hers. He felt as if he could see into her soul when he looked into her worried face. Beyond the obvious concern, there was also love…there was love and compassion, but he knew there would never be understanding. He knew she would never forgive him. Despite what she might say, he would never be forgiven for his sins and he knew it would be foolish to ever think otherwise.

He began to lift his hand to stroke her face – to wipe the tears he had caused from her pleading eyes – but fought the urge and lowered it back to his side. Though he didn't mean for it to be, his tone was harsh when he spoke. "I'm fine."

_I don't deserve her comfort, _he told himself._ How could I ever hope to get her back after everything I have done…after what I almost did to her._

More blaster fire pulled him from his inner turmoil and his thoughts returned to the incoming battle droids.

"Stay here," he ordered. "Keep your head down, no matter what."

"Anakin, you can't fight them all by yourself," Padme replied as she gripped his arm to keep him from moving.

"Don't worry about me."

Anakin gave her no time to respond, slipping out of her grasp and dashing around the corner of the crates. He raced towards the droids while they opened fire on him, desperately wishing he had his lightsaber as he did his best to dodge their attempts to hit him.

He used the Force to push them back once he was in range and knocked them off balance. They clattered to the ground and he called upon the Force a second time, tossing most of them into the wall and smashing them to pieces.

_Now what? _

The remaining droids climbed back to their feet just in time to be met by a group of clone troopers. Limbs and body parts fell to the ground as blaster fire blew through the Separatist soldiers and promptly dispatched them.

The troopers rushed over to Anakin and the commanding officer saluted him. "General Skywalker."

"What's going on?" he questioned, wasting no time with small talk.

"The Separatist army have invaded Coruscant," the officer answered. "Battle ships are in orbit over the planet and enemy fighters are descending as we speak."

"Prepare your pilots for take-off," Anakin retorted with authority. "We have to take action and stop them before they reach the city. I'll notify the Republic and inform them of our operation. Go."

"Yes, sir."

The troopers hurriedly made their way to the various starfighters surrounding them and began to ready themselves for the battle that would soon be taking place.

"Anakin!"

Anakin spun around to face Padme as she approached him. "Padme! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Padme replied, staring up at him. The concern in her eyes seemed to show even more now – her despair radiating from her through the link that still existed between them through the Force bond they shared. "Anakin, what's happening?"

He hesitated for a brief moment. "The Separatists are attacking Coruscant. Find someplace safe to hide and stay there until this is all over."

"I can't just – "

"Please, Padme…I'll see to it that they don't accomplish what they came to do."

"Be careful, Ani," fresh tears streamed down Padme's cheeks as she reached out to caress his flesh arm. "I'll be here waiting for you."

Taking a step back, unshed tears formed in Anakin's own eyes when he saw the pained look on the face of the woman he loved. "I won't be coming back."

"What do you mean?" Padme asked, clearly surprised by his statement. "Don't talk like that!"

"You're better off without me, Senator."

Without another word, he started across the hangar and tried to ignore the sobs coming from his wife. It took all of his willpower to keep walking, but he knew what he had to do.

His words rang true -- Padme would be much better off without him.

Right now he needed to focus on one thing and one thing only…

Stopping Grievous.

* * *


	10. Ch 9: Negotiations

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I would just like to thank everybody for the reviews and comments. They are very much appreciated and it's always nice to know people are enjoying your stories. I hope you all like these last few chapters… __

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 9

"**NEGOTIATIONS"**

* * *

Bail Organa stood firm and proud as a group of battle droids swarmed into his office and surrounded him. Keeping their blasters trained on him, they moved aside and allowed an imposing figure to step through the already opened doors.

General Grievous.

The bionic Separatist leader stood several feet taller than the human Senator and had a much broader build, but his menacing presence did nothing to dissuade his new hostage from speaking as if he were dealing with nothing more than another of the countless politicians he had dealt with in the past…he would not be intimidated.

"General Grievous, I presume," Bail addressed the advancing General with a neutral expression.

"Senator Organa," Grievous scowled, stopping in front of his prisoner and glaring down at him. "It is over. The Republic will surrender all power to me and grant me unconditional control of the systems within its jurisdiction or suffer the consequences."

"The Senate will not be bullied into doing anything of the sort, General. We will not bend to the whim of a dictator. I offer the Trade Federation the opportunity to surrender to the Republic," Bail retorted without hesitation. "If you order the immediate cease and desist of any further action and relinquish your command over the Separatist army without resistance, the courts may be lenient and allow you a trial by jury for the war crimes you have committed."

"Believe me, Senator…" Grievous arrogantly replied. "I have no intentions of disbanding my army."

"That is most unfortunate for you," Bail said as he skeptically glanced around at the droids gathered in the room. "Tell me, General, are all of these soldiers really necessary? Let us be civil about this. Can we not discuss the matters at hand like gentlemen?"

A deep chuckle sounded from Grievous' throat before he turned his back to the Senator and started out of the office. "The time for talking is over."

Bail glanced over his shoulder with obvious irritation after being nudged in the back by a battle droid.

"Move it," the droid ordered, keeping the barrel of its blaster pressed against the curve of his spine.

* * *

Obi-Wan swiftly deflected the onslaught of blaster fire flying in his direction. Droid after droid dropped to the ground as he sent their own shots sailing back at them, pressing forward and growing closer to the center of the relentless group moving in on him. The assault seemed like it would never end. Battle droids flooded the streets of Coruscant and more of them just kept coming – making it impossible for the Jedi Knight to gain any ground. 

Slicing through several of his attackers with the glowing blade of his lightsaber, he realized he was grossly outnumbered and had no hope of stopping the invasion by himself. It would be impossible for him to stop all of them on his own. However, he knew he had to hold them at bay or innocent lives would be lost and that was not something he was not willing to let happen.

He expertly flipped through the air and cut down more droids while he attempted to come up with a plan.

_I am not left with a whole lot of options,_ he thought. _Either I keep defending these people or they all die. There is no one else here to protect them._

Looking around for the first time since the start of the battle, Obi-Wan noticed that most of the pedestrians had all gone. The streets were practically devoid of any life other than the Separatist forces and himself.

_Well, I'm in quite a situation now, but at least they were able to escape. With any luck I will be able to do the same. I will need nothing short of a miracle to get out of this one…_

Just then – as if the Force itself had heard his silent pleas for help and decided to answer his call – the battle droids were suddenly stormed by a squad of clone troopers and their numbers immediately diminished.

The armored guardians of the Republic fearlessly charged into the mass of cybernetic soldiers and rapidly opened fire, skillfully and tactfully taking them out of the battle. Obi-Wan continued to lend his assistance and fought alongside them until the enemy threat had been eliminated.

He let out a sigh of relief as he inspected the droids that were no longer left standing. "I must say, you have impeccable timing."

Deactivating his lightsaber, he wiped the sweat from his brow and saw a familiar face rushing through the group of troopers towards him.

"Padme?" he asked in shock and confusion. "Padme, what in blazes are you doing here? It isn't safe to be out in plain sight – "

"Obi-Wan, listen to me," Padme cut him off before he could finish his protest. "We have to get to the senators as soon as possible."

"The senators?" Obi-Wan questioned, clearly not understanding the meaning of her urgent statement.

"Captain!" she called out to a nearby trooper. Within a matter of seconds he was at her side. "Tell Master Kenobi what you told me."

"The Separatists have rounded up numerous senators and representatives of the Republic residing on Coruscant," the trooper explained. "We have pinpointed their location and are awaiting our orders."

"General Grievous has been spotted on planet," Padme added.

Obi-Wan stroked his bearded chin while he lost himself deep in thought. "Grievous? I wouldn't think he would oversee this attack personally. What is he planning?"

"I don't know, but we have to stop him before it's too late," Padme quickly replied, watching the perplexed Jedi while he contemplated what to do next. "If he succeeds in whatever it is he came to do, it could very well mean the end of the Republic."

"You're absolutely right," Obi-Wan finally said as he clipped his lightsaber back onto his belt. "We had better hurry. Lead the way, Captain."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Anakin tightly gripped the controls of his starfighter and struggled to maintain his path. An enemy fighter had managed to graze his wing, his R4 unit screaming in surprise as the blast violently shook the hull of the ship. 

"Take it easy, Artoo, it's only a scratch," Anakin assured the small droid.

It let out a series of indignant whistles at the use of the improper name.

"Sorry, old habit."

Swooping out of the path of another attempt to hit his starfighter, he whirled around and caught his pursuer in his direct line of fire.

"You could use some practice," he remarked in triumph, peering out of the cockpit of his fighter at the scattered debris left in the wake of the explosion his proton torpedo had created. "If they keep this up – "

Suddenly, a powerful tremor in the Force hit him, almost leaving him breathless. His R4 unit curiously beeped and chirped.

"Nothing, I'm fine," he replied.

_What was that?_ he asked himself, not sure what to make of the troubling disturbance. _Something is wrong…but what?_

Then it dawned on him.

"Arfour, set a course for Coruscant!" he exclaimed as he instinctively turned his starfighter around and soared away from the full scale battle he was engaged in. "We have to get back as soon as possible!"

The obedient droid voiced an affirmative and plotted the course for their new destination without delay.

* * *

Bail intently studied the frightened faces of his fellow politicians while they nervously waited. Senators were lined along either side of the long table that rested in the center of the dimly lit room, two of Grievous' bodyguard droids standing at the head of it with electrostaffs in hand. The third stood at the door that led into the unsettling room – its metallic frame illuminated by the glow of the energy that coursed through its own weapon. 

All eyes turned to the door when it hissed and slid open.

General Grievous drifted through them and purposely strode towards the table. "Senators, I thank you all for coming."

"What is the meaning of this, General?" Bail impatiently questioned.

"Allow me to explain," Grievous said as he looked over the occupants seated at the table. "The Republic will rule no longer. I have conquered your allied forces; your futile attempts to stop me have failed. I give you the option of honorable surrender…or death."

"You cannot seriously expect us to agree to these outrageous terms," one of the senators shakily spoke up.

"You will agree or you will die," Grievous retorted. "All traitors to the new empire will be executed under charges of treason and will be punished by the full extent of the law."

"You will never – "

The senator began to reply, but was instantly silenced as one of the bodyguard droids impaled him with its staff.

"You are far too negative, Senator," Grievous commented, satisfied to see the politicians limp body slump down in his seat. The lethal droid stepped back and once again resumed its position at the head of the table. "From now on you will not speak unless spoken to. It would be very unfortunate to – "

Now it was the Separatist leader who was interrupted. He snapped to attention as the window to the room shattered and a familiar Jedi emerged from the outside of the building.

"General Kenobi!"

Bail Organa stared at his friend in awe from the chair he sat in.

"This has gone on long enough," Obi-Wan declared, igniting his blue blade.

He patiently stood in a defensive stance and awaited the bodyguard droids that predatorily drew closer…

* * *


	11. Ch 10: Turning Point

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 10

"**TURNING POINT"**

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He knew he had to hurry. He kept his back against the face of the building while he cautiously crept towards the window of the room he had been seeking out – knowing he would find General Grievous and the senators taken hostage inside. He silently cursed to himself as he glanced down at the streets of Coruscant that rested far below him, more stories down than he cared to count. From his vantage point he could barely make out the bottom of the massive city.

The ledge protruding from the side of the building that he slid along gave him the space he needed to move, but it was far from comforting. He had never been particularly fond of heights and his current situation only made him dislike them even more.

Looking up at the sky, he could make out the faint flashes of the battle taking place above the planet. He sighed when he thought of what Padme had told him about Anakin…he had regained consciousness, but hastily fled to partake in the airborne assault that was being waged against the Separatist fleet advancing on Coruscant. In his opinion, his old padawan was in no condition to be doing anything so soon after a recovery from injuries such as his – most of all piloting a fighter.

_It is just like Anakin to volunteer to do something so dangerous, _he thought._ He has always been reckless – always rushing into things without thinking of the consequences. I can only hope he will be as fortunate as he has been in the past and refrain from doing anything that might get himself killed._

As he neared his destination, Obi-Wan cleared his mind and turned his attention to the window just ahead of him.

_This is it… _

Slowly and quietly crouching down beside the window, he peered into the room and immediately spotted Grievous and his group of prisoners. Among them was Bail Organa.

_I wonder where Master Yoda is? _

He proceeded to watch while one of the senators debated something with the General, but he couldn't make out what they were saying from his place on the ledge. His eyes widened a moment later when one of Grievous' bodyguard droids struck down the senator that had been talking – killing him instantly.

"Blasted droids," he muttered to himself as he pulled his lightsaber from his belt.

Without skipping a beat, Obi-Wan called upon the Force and pushed against the window before him. He quickly leapt through the opening and into the room, shards of glass tumbling to the floor all around him.

Grievous was clearly infuriated by the unexpected appearance of the Jedi. "General Kenobi!"

"This has gone on long enough," Obi-Wan said, activating his lightsaber and bracing himself for any attack that might come his way.

Sure enough, Grievous' three bodyguard droids were stalking towards him within a matter of seconds.

"Dispose of this scum," Grievous sneered.

"What's the matter, General, afraid to face me yourself?" Obi-Wan mocked with a slight grin. "I never would have taken you for a coward."

His only response was a sinister cackle from the cybernetic General.

The bodyguard droids drew closer, electrostaffs scintillating with coursing energy while they prepared for their duel.

_Great,_ Obi-Wan thought sarcastically. _I'm going to have trouble penetrating those. Leave it to Grievous to supply his bodyguards with weapons that can deflect my strikes._

He effortlessly parried the swipe of the first droids staff and swiftly spun around, slicing through its neck and decapitating it.

A slight smile of satisfaction tugged at the corners of his mouth. _This may be easier than I thought…_

His smile quickly faded when the headless droid continued to swing at him.

_Maybe not._

He flipped back to create some distance between him and his opponents as the other two droids charged forward to join in the fight. His glowing blade clashed with their staffs while he did his best to hold them off – knowing that he would need to devise a plan if he wanted to come out of the skirmish as the victor.

Speedily ducking a staff swipe meant to sever his own head from his shoulders, Obi-Wan took advantage of the nearest droids susceptible position and brought his lightsaber down on it. His blade sliced through the bodyguard that had already been beheaded, cutting it clean in half down the center of its body.

"One down, two to go," he remarked, watching the two halves of the droid fall to the floor.

He had little time to celebrate as the two bodyguard droids that were still standing once again advanced on him. He deflected the blows from his two adversaries and continued to fight them off.

Then an idea hit him and he quickly turned his attention to the electrostaff that belonged to the defeated droid that now lay in pieces on the ground. Using the Force to propel it through the air, the weapon flew into one of the remaining enemy droids and stabbed through its midsection. Sparks erupted from its torso and it sputtered before dropping to the floor with a loud thud.

"That makes two."

He didn't waste any time as he lunged at the last droid and began to take the offensive. Releasing a powerful barrage of blows, he pushed it back towards the opened window in hopes of knocking it out of the building. However, the tables soon turned and he suddenly found himself reeling back from the onslaught of strikes coming from the droid instead of delivering them himself.

Grievous watched in anticipation while his bodyguard gained the upper hand and confidently glanced over at the gathered politicians. He thoroughly enjoyed the expressions of pure horror plastered on all of their faces.

* * *

Padme held her blaster rifle in front of her protectively as she kept pace with the clone soldiers that were rushing through the halls of the Senate building. 

_Obi-Wan, I hope you're okay, _she thought to herself. The stubborn Jedi had refused to let them accompany him – his reasoning; he could sneak up on the Separatist invaders and remain stealth much easier without their presence there to draw attention. She had reluctantly agreed and was now making her way up towards the floor that held Grievous and his hostages with a squad of troopers.

When they finally rounded the corner and approached the room they were looking for, a sound quite similar to lightsabers clashing could be heard from the other side of the door that led inside.

"Hurry!" Padme exclaimed.

Firmly clutching her blaster, her eyes widened when the door slid open and she saw Obi-Wan in a heated duel with a bodyguard droid. Unfortunately, it appeared as if the Jedi Knight was not winning.

"Obi-Wan, look out!"

He curiously glanced back over his shoulder when she called out to him. Diving aside to safety, Obi-Wan moved out of the way while Padme and the soldiers opened fire on the droid. Grievous angrily growled as the shots knocked his bodyguard back and it stumbled, tripping on the ledge behind it and falling through the shattered window. The enraged General turned to the former Queen of Naboo and the clone troopers while his only means of protection plummeted to its certain demise.

Obi-Wan panted from exertion, but raised his blade in a challenging gesture and took a step towards the Separatist leader. "Yield now, General, it is over. You are alone and outmatched."

"I do not need any help in taking care of you," Grievous spat in disgust.

Two robotic arms split into four, each of them holding the hilt of a lightsaber.

"I can see you have been repaired since we last met," Obi-Wan mocked, securely gripping his own weapon. "I suppose that is one of the advantages of being a machine."

Grievous took a menacing step forward and ignited his four blades. "I am no machine, General Kenobi."

"Padme, get the senators out of here," Obi-Wan ordered as he moved to block Grievous' only path to the exit.

Padme almost protested the idea, but thought better of it and quickly escorted them out of the room. She turned her attention back to Obi-Wan and Grievous' ensuing standoff for a long moment before hesitantly resuming her course.

* * *

Anakin jumped out of the cockpit of his starfighter the second it touched down. Ignoring the confused beeps coming from his R4 unit, he hurriedly started out of the hangar. 

_Don't worry, I'm coming._

He felt the pit of his stomach twist at the recent memory of what he had felt through the Force. It had been a warning -- a glimpse of what was going to happen…something that he would not let happen. They were in trouble and he was going to help them.

_Hold on,_ he silently pleaded._ I'll be there soon. Just hold on, please…_

* * *


	12. Ch 11: End Of A Legacy

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 11

"**END OF A LEGACY"**

* * *

Bail Organa grabbed the sidearm from one of the nearby clone soldiers and turned back to the younger Senator.

"Fine," he said in resignation. "But if you're going back up there, I'm going with you."

"No, you have to make sure everybody gets out of here," Padme retorted. "We can't afford for the Separatists to get a hold of them again."

"They have an entire squad of troopers to protect them," he argued as he waved towards the soldiers gathered around them.

"And they need a leader," Padme replied, eyes smoldering with impatience. "We don't have time for this, Bail. I'll be fine – just get them someplace safe."

Senator Organa appeared to be contemplating what to do for a long time before he finally let out a concerned sigh. "I do not approve of this."

"I wouldn't have thought so," Padme commented, her expression slightly softening. "Now go."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Bail assured her, signaling for the clone soldiers and the newly freed politicians to follow him. "Be careful."

Padme dashed back into the building she had just left while they retreated. _I have to help Obi-Wan,_ she told herself. _Grievous is too dangerous – even for a seasoned Jedi._

Stepping into a lift once she got inside, Padme pressed the button for the floor Obi-Wan and the General had been left on…she prayed she still had time.

* * *

Anakin soared through the sky towards Obi-Wan's Force signature. Now that he was closer, he knew that his former Master and Padme were in the same proximity and he needed to reach them. Swooping the speeder he had 'borrowed' down at the building just below him, he could feel Obi-Wan's presence grow stronger and knew that he was at the right place. 

Expertly landing the speeder on the rooftop, he quickly leapt out of the drivers seat and started for the doors that led into the tall building.

_This is it, I'm positive,_ he thought. Or more, he felt. His Master's energy practically radiated from the establishment.

Within a matter of mere minutes he had found the floor Obi-Wan was on and rushed down the long hallways, tracking down his familiar signature until he could feel the distance between them close. As he neared the room he knew he was in, he could hear the hum of lightsabers – more than one by the sound of it. Then he heard them clashing with each other…

_Obi-Wan!_

Not wasting any time, Anakin burst through the door and charged into the room.

_This seems familiar,_ he thought bitterly. _If only I had finished him off before._

He glared at General Grievous as he thrust his glowing blades forward, attempting to penetrate Obi-Wan's defenses and failing.

He instinctively moved his hand to unclip his own lightsaber from his belt, but once again realized he was without it. His eyes darted around the area – eventually settling on the lifeless body of a bodyguard droid and the electrostaff on the ground beside it. A grin played across his face and he used the Force to retrieve the weapon, calling it to his awaiting palm.

Obi-Wan and Grievous both glanced over when they saw it fly through the air – neither of them noticing his arrival until now.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan raised a puzzled eyebrow, watching his old padawan in disbelief.

"I thought you could use a hand, Master," Anakin answered his unasked question. "It looks like I was right."

"Indeed you were," Obi-Wan agreed with a relieved smile.

"You will not be so fortunate this time, Jedi," Grievous growled.

Anakin slowly and cautiously made his way across the room, never taking his eyes off of the General. He held the electrostaff in a defensive position and moved closer to Obi-Wan.

Grievous howled in anger and lunged forward, his two opponents diving to either side of him and easily dodging his swipes. They quickly rolled to their feet and returned his advances – Master and Apprentice delivering blow after blow and forcing him to take several steps back. The bionic tyrant was nearly pinned against the wall behind him when he finally gained enough leverage to retaliate, almost knocking Anakin's weapon out of his hands when he struck.

Obi-Wan ceased the opportunity presented to him and with a swift upward motion, swung and sliced through one of Grievous' wrists. His severed hand clattered to the floor, but it didn't slow him down…he was determined to win this battle.

He mercilessly pressed on and forced the Jedi Knight back while Anakin called the lightsaber from the ground and tossed the electrostaff aside.

_This is more like it,_ he thought, satisfied to have acquired possession of his weapon of choice.

He immediately ignited the lightsaber and proceeded to fight Grievous alongside the man he once knew as his mentor.

The battle continued to rage on for what seemed like hours. Neither side seemed to be tiring or weakening and it appeared as though the fighting would never end. Then, suddenly and precisely, it was over…

Anakin crouched low to the ground while he whipped around, skillfully cutting Grievous down at the knees.

"Aah!" Grievous cried out in anguish and shock the instant Anakin's blade made contact. His three remaining hands lost their grasp on the lightsabers he held as he toppled over, the lower halves of his legs separated from the upper.

"This time you won't get away," Anakin threatened, stepping over to the defeated General.

Grievous began to crawl away, but stopped the moment he found a glowing blade hovering inches from his neck. He cowered in fear as Anakin stared down at him – clearly intent on ending his life.

"Anakin, don't do it," he heard Obi-Wan speak up from behind them.

"Why not?" Anakin growled. "I listened to you once and look what happened."

"You are not beyond redemption," Obi-Wan replied. "If you kill him you will be giving into the dark side again."

"He deserves to die!"

"Do you really feel that it is your decision to make?" Obi-Wan questioned, deactivating his lightsaber while he attempted to reason with his apprentice. "Killing in the heat of battle is one thing, Anakin…taking a life in cold blood is another."

Anakin clenched his jaw and tightly closed his eyes, struggling to take control of his burning emotions. Hatred. The need for revenge. The desire to kill the treacherous General was too great, too overwhelming. He could bring his lightsaber down and quench the thirst for power that devoured him…the power he felt fighting to escape him.

_But at what cost? Is it worth my soul? _he silently asked himself. _I have already paid that price. I told myself I would never allow it to consume me again, but how can I deny this? Grievous has to die!_

"Please, Ani…"

He started at the sound of her voice. _Padme?_

He quickly spun around and spotted her standing in the doorway to the room. Obi-Wan looked just as surprised to see her as he was – obviously she had just arrived.

"Padme, what are you doing here?" was all he could manage to get out.

"Ani, don't leave us again," she begged, her eyes pleading and glistening with unshed tears. "Please, don't."

He returned his gaze to Grievous.

"There is no other way. I have to," he replied, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince them. "The war will end with his death. His reign has to stop here and now before he can cause anymore damage."

"Are you really doing this to end the war?" Obi-Wan asked, crossing his arms in front of him. "Or is it that ending the war is an acceptable excuse for killing him? Don't give into the temptation, my padawan…you can vanquish the darkness."

"What if I don't want to vanquish the darkness?"

"Then you will be lost," Obi-Wan answered without hesitation. "You will be Darth Vader, dark lord of the Sith. You will no longer be the Anakin Skywalker we all love and you will have lost everything you once held dear."

"I love you, Anakin, stay with me," Padme said in desperation as she slowly approached his menacing position, tears now rolling down her cheeks. "Stay with us."

Padme knew this was her only hope of getting the man she loved back…his second chance. _Ani, please don't push us away again. You have to come back to us._

A long moment of silence ensued while he glared down at a fearful General Grievous.

Finally, he reluctantly switched off his lightsaber and relaxed his stance. "It is more than he deserves."

Carelessly dropping the small device where he stood, he turned around to face his Master and his beloved wife. Fresh tears stained his own cheeks as he realized he had almost lost them again, almost let his hatred blind him a second time.

"I don't – "

Before the words even left Anakin's lips, Obi-Wan saw Grievous pull the blaster out. "Anakin, behind you!"

It was already too late. Grievous took aim with the blaster that had been concealed in his cloak and fired. The shot hit Anakin square in his chest just as he turned back around, taking the breath out of him on impact.

"Anakin!" Padme exclaimed as she ran towards him, his body hitting the floor with a sickening thud.

Obi-Wan instinctively called upon the Force, hurling the slain figure of Grievous' bodyguard droid towards the unsuspecting General. Their bodies collided and smashed through the ledge beneath the window -- the Separatist leader meeting the same fate as his other bodyguard as he fell the distance from the room to the streets of Coruscant far below.

Obi-Wan quickly ran over to Anakin and knelt down beside him. Padme was already there, tears freely flowing down her already wet cheeks as she cupped her husbands face in her trembling hand.

"Help him, Obi-Wan!" Padme was frantic, on the verge of losing control and breaking down into sobs.

"Hold still, Anakin, let me have a look," Obi-Wan spoke in a soothing tone as he peeled the front of his singed tunic back, carefully inspecting the injury.

Obi-Wan could tell he was straining to get air -- his breaths coming out ragged and shallow. He wheezed heavily between gasps, fighting to fill his lungs, and Obi-Wan grimaced at the severity of the gash inflicted in his chest.

"We need to get him medical attention immediately," he said after he had finished looking the wound over. "We will need help if we want to move him. Stay here, I'll be back shortly."

"No."

Padme and Obi-Wan stared down at Anakin as he choked out the single word.

"Ani, you need help," Padme said, doing her best to hold back her grief.

"No," he repeated. "Let me go."

"You are out of your mind if you think we're just going to sit here and do nothing," she replied defiantly. "Obi-Wan, go!"

"Master, my time has come," Anakin interjected before the older Jedi had a chance to rise from his place beside him. "I'm glad it has…it's the will of the Force."

Anger rose in Padme. "I don't care about the will of the Force! I don't care what that ridiculous prophecy says, I won't let you go!"

"I was supposed to destroy the Sith," Anakin offered a weak smile.

"You already have," she retorted, peering deep into his distant blue eyes. "You stopped Palpatine, Anakin…you saved us all. You did destroy the Sith."

"Not all of them," he said between coughs. His condition was clearly growing worse and he was gradually slipping…

"What are you talking about, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked with sincere curiosity. "Sidious was the last of the Sith Lord's. You have fulfilled your destiny."

"There is one more…Vader."

Padme leaned back as if she had been slapped, his words hurting her more than any physical pain possibly could have. He was really giving up. He was really going to let himself die. _No, I won't let him!_

"Anakin, allowing yourself to die will solve nothing. It is your choice whether or not you are Vader," Obi-Wan replied before she got the chance to speak herself. "You don't have to sacrifice yourself. It is not necessary to deny yourself a future because of your past mistakes."

Closing his eyes, Anakin's breathing pattern became drastically slower and he seemed to pay Obi-Wan's reasoning no mind. "I'm sorry, Padme."

"Ani, open your eyes," she pleaded with him, hoping to get a response.

Her words were not answered and he remained still.

She buried her face in his chest when his intake of air stopped completely, not able to contain the pure agony she felt…he was gone. She felt like half a person without him – a lost and empty feeling enveloping her at the realization that she would never spend another day with him…never hear him say her name again. Never feel the warmth of his embrace or hear his voice. Only seconds had passed, but his robes were already soaked with her flowing tears.

Obi-Wan slowly stood up, his emotions swirling around him. His friend. His apprentice. His friend…his brother. He was now one with the Force. He could feel the moisture form in his own eyes and took a step back to give his padawan and his widow the space he felt they needed.

"Take care of her for me, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan was startled out of his concentration when he heard the voice speak up behind him. Spinning around to face it, his eyes widened in utter disbelief. There he stood; the same man that was sprawled out on the floor only a few feet away. It only took a brief moment before Obi-Wan's shock faded and was soon replaced by understanding.

Anakin Skywalker's glowing body shimmered as he gave his Master a sorrowful smile. Obi-Wan returned the smile and nodded…he had truly crossed over.

He returned his attention to Padme and watched while she softly whispered into Anakin's ear.

"You can't do this to me," she cried. "You can't. Do you hear me?"

Leaning closer to his face, she gently pressed her lips against his and tenderly kissed him. Obi-Wan's heart went out to her as he witnessed her display of helpless desperation. She wouldn't accept his passing, but he knew that he had definitely gone.

Then it happened. He never could have prepared himself for what happened next…Padme's trembling frame tensed as Anakin coughed.

Obi-Wan was completely baffled, turning back around to look at the apparition he had seen only seconds before. It was no longer there.

"How is this possible?" he asked aloud, more to himself than anyone else.

Padme couldn't help but laugh – her tears of despair changing to tears of joy.

"Obi-Wan, he's alive! He's alright!"

Obi-Wan didn't move for a long while.

"I will get some help," he said at last, his voice cracking.

The Senator didn't even hear him leave the room.

* * *


	13. Ch 12: Salvation

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Well, this is it. Here's the last part of the story (besides the epilogue). I would just like to thank everybody who read and left feedback one more time. I hope you enjoyed it…__

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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CH. 12

"**SALVATION"**

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Obi-Wan and Yoda stood at the door, watching Senator Amidala while she sat beside the large bacta tank. It was the second time Anakin had been placed in a restoration chamber to heal within a relatively short period of time. A smile spread across Obi-Wan's lips.

Anakin.

He could really call him that again.

He had finally overcome the power of the dark side. The shadow of darkness that lingered within him was no more. Even Master Yoda felt the change in the young Jedi through his unique connection with the Force. He had lowered his lightsaber instead of executing Grievous – a feat no Sith Lord could have ever accomplished. No Sith would ever pass up an opportunity to kill an enemy the way he did…he had truly returned to the light. He had finally extinguished the demons that had haunted and consumed his every thought and action for so long.

"Leave the good Senator to be with her husband, we should," Yoda broke the silence that seemed to stretch between Obi-Wan and himself.

"I agree," Obi-Wan said as he turned to walk away.

They walked down the empty hall – Yoda relying on his walking stick as they left the medical quarters. Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile again. The elder Jedi Master did not have the appearance of a military leader that had just led an entire army of clone soldiers to a total victory. His actions during the invasion of Coruscant had led to the end of the war. Obi-Wan wondered where he had gone while he was busy fighting Grievous, but he found out soon enough. His command over the army of the Republic repelled the attacks of the Separatists and – combined with the death of their General – resulted in the complete disintegration of their forces. There was only a select group of Trade Federation loyalists left and they wouldn't last long.

"I was beginning to think we would never see this day," Obi-Wan sparked up a new conversation. "No more fighting, no more Sith…it is actually over."

"Shrouded in darkness, these times have been," Yoda commented. "Much to celebrate, we have, but much work lies ahead."

"Yes, the Order and the Republic will both take time to rebuild."

Yoda wisely nodded his head before responding. "A worthy cause, it is. Faith, the fall of the Sith has instilled in us all. Hope, the end of the war has brought."

"I must say, we owe a lot of these outcomes to Anakin," Obi-Wan said as he clasped his hands behind his back, walking slowly and steadily to keep pace with the smaller Jedi. "If it were not for him, I'm not so sure I could have stopped General Grievous in his quest to influence the senators and take control of the Republic."

"Correct, Master Jinn was, in assuming young Skywalker was the 'Chosen One'," Yoda replied. "In death, cleansed of the dark side, he has been. In life, a second chance, he has been granted."

"And for that I am very grateful," Obi-Wan said while they continued on their way. "But I still don't understand how his essence was rekindled the way it was. I saw his spirit – he had crossed over. How can that be?"

"Unexplainable, the will of the Force is," was Yoda's simple answer. "A bond, Skywalker and Senator Amidala share…saved the Senator from dying, it did. Saved young Skywalker as well."

"You mean their connection kept them both alive?" Obi-Wan questioned.

Yoda gave the Knight a knowing smirk, but said nothing more…

* * *

When Anakin opened his eyes, he found himself floating in a familiar green liquid. He knew he must have been put in a bacta tank, but that couldn't be right…he had felt himself become one with the Force. How could he still be living? 

Through his blurred vision, he could make out a feminine figure standing just outside his tank. His heart warmed when he realized who it was.

Padme.

He could barely see her, but he could feel her presence as she placed a hand on the glass in front of him. He slowly lifted his hand and pressed it up against her outstretched palm. If it weren't for the mask covering his mouth, she would have seen the warm smile her being there had caused.

He was at peace. There was no more anger, no more resentment…there was only gratitude. Gratitude for the chance he had been given to redeem himself to those he had let down.

He basked in his newfound perspective while he felt himself slowly slipping back into unconsciousness.

The last thing he saw was Padme.

The last thing he felt was her love and the peace it provided him. He knew he had a lot to do the next time he woke up, but he didn't dread it…

He needed to mend everything he had undone.

* * *

_**THE**_

**_END_**

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	14. Epilogue

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related._**

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EPILOGUE

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Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in the center of the glossy marble floor and admired the new chambers. The Jedi Temple had finally been restored to its former glory. Faith in the Order had been revived throughout the recovering galaxy and the Republic was once again in control.

He was gratified to find the new council chambers a shining image of what it had once been and let out a long sigh. However, this sigh was not of exhaustion as most had been in recent times…it was a sigh of relief. A heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders – from the shoulders of everybody that had suffered under the reign of the Sith and the Separatist forces, but they knew peace before and they would now know it again.

"I believe congratulations are in order, my young apprentice," he heard a voice speak up from behind him. "It is not every day you become a member of the high council."

Obi-Wan grinned as he turned around to face his visitor. "It is all thanks to your teachings, Master Qui-Gon."

"Oh, I am not so sure," Qui-Gon replied with a warm smile.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened when he spotted the second glowing life form that stoically stood beside his old Master. "Master Windu!"

"Hello, Obi-Wan," Mace greeted him, nodding respectfully.

Obi-Wan quickly inclined his head and returned the gesture. "Master, it is good to see you again. It is good to see both of you."

"It is good to see you as well, Master Kenobi," Mace replied.

"And where is young Ani this evening?" Qui-Gon wondered aloud.

"He and Senator Amidala left for Tatooine this morning," Obi-Wan answered with a solemn expression. "I believe he has finally decided to let go…"

* * *

Anakin knelt down in the golden sand. The harsh heat from the multiple suns beat down on him and drops of sweat beaded down his face, but he didn't care. His full attention was focused on the grave that rested before him…the grave of his mother. Shmi Skywalker. 

He had let her down – he knew it – and there was no way he could change that. However, he could choose to lead the rest of his life the way he was meant to…the way she had wanted him to. To live in happiness and serenity for the rest of his days. To become the Jedi he had promised he would be. He knew now that being a great Jedi had nothing to do with ones power – not measured by strength -- but with knowledge and understanding of the Force. The dark side was only pure power and it offered nothing more than just that.

Scooping up a handful of sand, he finished the quiet words of love he had wished to share with his mother and rose back to his feet. He allowed the sand to slip through his fingers as he said his farewells.

"I miss you…I know you would have made a wonderful grandmother."

Padme watched her husband from the distance while he turned around and started back in her direction. She knew it was over. After all this time, Anakin had returned to her and she felt a reassuring feeling of calmness and contentment wash over her.

Things were as they should be.

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End file.
